Recently the Macbook Air was presented, an unprecedented ultra thin notebook by Apple.
One of the reasons why the Air can be so thin is the development of a small Intel processor, the size of a coin.
The real breakthrough though is not technological, but conceptual. Apple made a strategic decision (and gamble) to fully focus on the possibilities of the wireless connection. In the design of the Air, the possibilities of wireless are exploited to the limits and as a consequence, a DVD driver is no longer needed.
In the view of Apple, a DVD driver is necessary either to play movies, install software, make backups or burn music CD’s for you car. To replace the need for a driver Apple offered alternative services using the wireless connection and software solutions.
Movie: the commercial for the Macbook Air.
Losing the DVD driver is a mayor saver in terms of energy and dimensions. Consequently, the battery can be smaller and the physical absence of the DVD driver makes the notebook smaller. It shows that, though technology is important, conceptual thinking is at least equally important.
This approach distinguishes Apple from the other hardware producers.
See the presentation of the Air in two parts by Apple CEO Steve Jobs (and notice that Sergey Brin of Google is sitting in the audience).
Part 1 of the presentation here.
Part 2 of the presentation here.
nice work, brother